/pratidin/media/media_files/2025/01/14/E96xYl0E4W5fUEHGKZvG.webp)
BJP MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Communications and Information Technology, Nishikant Dubey, has announced that the committee will summon Meta officials following remarks by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Dubey stated that Zuckerberg’s comments regarding an alleged anti-government atmosphere in India were "alarming" and amounted to interference in the country's democratic processes.
In a podcast with American TV host Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg claimed, "The reaction to COVID probably caused a breakdown of trust in a lot of governments around the world. 2024 was a big election year around the world, and there are all these countries, India, just like a ton of countries that had elections and the incumbent lost every one of them."
Speaking to ANI, Dubey strongly objected to the statement, emphasizing India's status as a vibrant democracy with a population of 140 crore and a parliament elected by the people. "The owner of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, has given a statement and shown that after COVID-19, an atmosphere was there against the government where he has also mentioned India," Dubey said. He highlighted the BJP-led NDA's strong electoral mandate, stating, "This statement by Mark Zuckerberg is alarming because there is an atmosphere going on all over the world about social media platforms... This kind of statement shows that he is interfering with India's democracy."
Dubey noted that the Parliamentary Committee would demand an explanation and apology from Meta, failing which legal action could be recommended. "We have decided that we will summon the people of Meta. They will have to apologise or else action, including law, will be recommended by our committee," he added.
Regarding the timeline for Meta's response, Dubey mentioned that the committee would convene after completing its visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on January 20. "We will ask them to be present between January 20-24," he said.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also criticized Zuckerberg’s remarks, calling them "factually incorrect." In a post on X, Vaishnaw wrote, "As the world's largest democracy, India conducted the 2024 elections with over 640 million voters. People of India reaffirmed their trust in the NDA led by PM @narendramodi Ji's leadership. Mr. Zuckerberg's claim that most incumbent governments, including India in the 2024 elections, lost post-COVID is factually incorrect."
Vaishnaw highlighted the government's achievements during the pandemic, including the distribution of free food to 800 million people, the administration of 2.2 billion free vaccines, and India's emergence as the fastest-growing major economy. "PM Modi's decisive 3rd-term victory is a testament to good governance and public trust. @Meta, it's disappointing to see misinformation from Mr. Zuckerberg himself. Let's uphold facts and credibility," Vaishnaw added.
Dubey emphasized the sovereign power of the Indian Parliament to take action if required. "Powers of the Committee are the powers of the Indian Parliament. The Indian Parliament is a sovereign power... If the Indian Parliament wants, it can take any decision," he stated, drawing comparisons to measures taken by parliaments in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom against tech giants.
Also Read: Zuckerberg Claims Biden Govt Pressured Meta To Censor COVID Content